In the
Blackthorn collection of embroidery designs, each
piece was designed with shapes and styles that are
perfect for adding gorgeous lace-like accents to
apparel. These lace-inspired designs can be stitched
directly onto fabric for a subtle effect, or on a sheer
material to really bring their lacy qualities to life.
We’ll give you some ideas as to how and where you can
showcase these designs, and how mirroring and repeating
can make even a small design become a statement piece,
plus how to use them to upcycle a thermal top into
something chic and new.

This collection was specially
designed with flexible use in mind, utilizing mirroring
and repeating to get a much larger effect. For example,
this
Blackthorn Neckline Accent piece is perfect for
collar embellishments. Just mirror the design on either
side of a scoop neck piece.
Flowy, curving features work as beautiful accents on
sleeves and lapels, and
thin borders can be repeated to make one long
lace-like edge.

Other designs, like these two
corner and
drape designs, can interlock together, and when
mirrored, make one giant statement piece draped down the
front or back of a dress or tee. The designs are
flexible enough to use on their own, but with some
creative mirroring and repeating, can expand the impact
of your hoop and let the embroidery really shine. Light
stitches and delicate, looping details keep it friendly
for all kinds of fabrics.

Other designs, like this
“S” thistle curve, can interlock with itself, and
repeat into a beautiful, wide border. The flexibility of
all these pieces means you can use them standing alone
or with creative re-hooping to make them something even
more.

So, now we have a couple of ideas of different ways you
can use these designs, let’s grab a couple and get
creative! I could just stitch the designs directly onto
this tee, but I like the idea of adding in a sheer
quality to really bring out the lacy look of these
designs. So I’m going to upcycle this plain thermal into
a new lacy creation. To make yours, you’ll need:

Fabric glue (optional -
depending on the sheer fabric you use, this can help
prevent fraying edges)

This is my basic thermal. The
nice part of this technique is that because we’re using
a sheer material to “float” our designs, your tee can be
fairly stretchy or thin, because we’ll just sew
everything on.

So, to start, you’ll want to
hoop up your organza with a piece of water soluble
stabilizer. Note: depending on whether you think you’ll
ever see the back of your design through the organza,
you may want to stitch it up using matching bobbin
thread, as if you were stitching real lace. It’s not
required, but ensures it looks great from both sides.

I’m stitching two different designs, but each one twice,
and mirrored. I started with this long triangle-shaped
design. It’s perfect for accenting sleeves. This is the
piece right after I stitched it, with the stabilizer
still on the back. I stitched two pieces, one for each
sleeve.

Once your pieces are stitched,
turn them over and very carefully cut away as much
excess stabilizer from the back of the organza as you
can. This will leave less to dissolve and will be less
likely to leave sticky gunk on your fabric.

Soak your embroidered fabric
according to the directions on your stabilizer package,
then pat them dry with some paper towels and let them
dry all the way.

While I waited for those to dry, I also stitched up my
two collar pieces. Important! Remember to mirror the
design the second time you stitch it, so you can use it
on either side of your collar. This is easy to do in all
machines. Consult your manual if you’ve never tried it
before.

Once these designs are done, trim and soak them too,
then set them aside to dry out.

So, how do you get designs on
sleeves? Well, you’re going to have to split your sleeve
in order to get access to the area you want to stitch.
This is incidentally the same thing you’d need to do if
you wanted to stitch the design directly on your sleeve.

Rip up the seam about 8 inches
or so, so your design area lays nice and flat.

With your sleeve now flat, you can pin your organza
piece in place. I lined the edge of the design just up
to the edge of the sleeve.

Now, in this instance, I want to take advantage of the
sheer quality of the material, and I want to be able to
see “through” my blackthorn design like lace, so to
speak. You’ll see what I mean in a moment.

With your design pinned in
place, stitch as close to the edge of your design as you
can with matching thread, starting at the edge of the
sleeve, around, and back again.

Once you’ve stitched the organza piece in place, trim as
close to you can to your stitches, and then cut the
excess off near the sleeve edge, just cutting around the
shapes of your design.

Now it’s time to let our design
shine through! Turn your sleeve over and carefully cut
away the excess fabric behind your design, leaving
behind enough of an edge to fold over (maybe a half inch
or less).

With the excess behind the organza removed, fold that
raw edge under behind your design and pin it in place.

Now change your stitch to a
zigzag, just wide enough to cover the raw edge of your
organza. Stitch around your design a second time, but
this time try and catch the raw edge of the organza
along with the folded raw edge of your shirt underneath.
This will keep the organza from fraying and hide your
raw edges.

Now you have a beautiful organza “window” for you lace
to float on, giving your sleeves a new romantic lace
look. Repeat this effect on the other sleeve.

Once both sleeves have been
stitched, turn your shirt inside out and pin the raw
edges of your sleeve back together, right sides in.

Sew a seam back down the side of your sleeve, closing up
what you ripped open earlier. If you were good with the
seam ripper and didn’t lose any fabric, your sleeves
should look the same as they did before you opened them
up.

Turn your shirt and sleeves
right side out again. Ta da! Beautiful new lacy sleeve
accents.

Finally, let's stitch on those collar accents we made
earlier. To give these more of a finished edge, I’m
ripping open the folded seam at the collar of my shirt,
so I can hide the raw edge of the fabric underneath. Rip
this open on both sides.

Trim that edge to fit the shape
of your collar, and slide the raw edge under the fold
you just ripped up. Don’t worry about the rest of the
fabric edge right now, we’ll get to that.

Pin that collar edge closed again, with the edge of your
sheer organza tucked inside. Sew a seam over the same
line you ripped up earlier.

Now, in addition to sewing the collar closed, sew a line
around the edge of your design, like you did with the
one on your sleeves.

Once it’s stitched in place,
you can cut off the excess edge. Though I didn’t do it
here, I would recommend adding the same zigzag stitch
and maybe a little fabric glue to keep this edge from
fraying too much.

Repeat this on the other side of your collar for a chic
new look. Your shirt is done! From sheer lace sleeves to
a delicate organza applique with matching fabric, you
plain old tee is no more.

I love my new thermal! What was
once boring is now glam and new with delicate and dark
lace like designs. Light stitching designs like these
could go directly on a shirt like this, but I kinda
liked the fun accent that the sheer material brought to
the tee.

Plus I have to say, those sheer lace cuffs are my new
favorite thing about the shirt! It’s such a simple
update but really makes a big difference.

So have fun experimenting with how you can update all
those old tees, tanks, dresses and jackets in the back
of your closet. With embroidery designed to bring
clothes to life, you’re bound to find some new way of
using them!